Washington (CNN) – A new book co-authored by Newt Gingrich goes on sale Monday, and the timing and topic of the book, as well as some of the locations on the ensuing book tour, are raising eyebrows as the former House Speaker considers a possible bid for the White House.

The book, titled "Valley Forge," focuses on one of the most desperate moments in America's struggle for independence: The winter of 1777, when George Washington, commander of the Continental Army, hunkered down in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to survive a brutally cold and challenging winter.FULL POST

New Delhi, India (CNN) - In another major sign of growing ties between the two nations, President Obama on Monday used a speech before the Indian Parliament to endorse this country's bid for permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council

Ben Rhodes, a top White House aide, told reporters before the speech that the Obama administration wants to "send as clear a statement as possible" that the U.S. sees India as a "rising player" on the international stage.FULL POST

CNN:Republicans signal a hard-line stance after election success
A post-mortem Sunday of the mid-term elections provided little evidence that Democrats and Republicans will work together to address major issues such as deficit reduction any better than they have in recent years. Republicans interviewed on talk shows promised congressional investigations, an all-out effort to repeal health care reform, and steadfast opposition to any form of higher taxes. Democrats, meanwhile, said the losses they suffered in the congressional elections reflected voter dissatisfaction with lingering high unemployment in the slow recovery from economic recession, rather than an outright repudiation of their policies.